The thread about the Casey Jones TV series got me to thinking about Railroad (or had trains) songs.
I can think of many that are about or contain steam trains but the only one that comes to mind to the contrary is "take the A train" which is about an electric subway.
Am I missing any?
73
Bruce in the Peg
I've been workin' on the railroad, all the live long day,
I've been workin' on the railroad, just to pass the time away....
Gee, the 1:1 hobby existed long before our miniatures...
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
come on now how could you forget these classics
Drill ye tarriers,
the Wreck of Old 97
the Wabash Cannonball
the Little Red Caboose behind the train
Paddy works on the Railroad
The Rock Island Line
This Train
500 Miles
and FYI model Trains came BEFORE 1:1 trains... Philadelphia inventor John Fitch (who also built a steam boat 15 years before Fulton) built a working model steam locomotive in 1785. His model still exists and is displayed by the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus OH.
As far as train (or train-related) songs go, my favourite would have to be 'Downtown Train' by Rod Stewart.
The Location: Forests of the Pacific Northwest, OregonThe Year: 1948The Scale: On30The Blog: http://bvlcorr.tumblr.com
Arlo's "City of New Orleans"!
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
This is most of my "Train Mix" of songs that either about trains, mention trains, or make a metaphor of them. This is not an exhaustive list, and trains are only mentioned in some of them.
The Silverton - C.W. McCallPeace Train - Cat StevensLong Train Runnin' - Doobie BrothersSteel Rail Blues - Gordon LightfootCanadian Railroad Trilogy - Gordon LightfootMidnight Mary - Joey PowersBig Train (from Memphis) - John FogertyLast Train to Clarksville - The MonkeesNowhere in Idaho - RednexThe City of New Orleans - Arlo GuthrieThis Train Don't Stop There Anymore - Elton JohnLover Please - Clyde McPhatterLast Train to London - Electric Light OrchestraTime Passages - Al StewartRoads to Moscow - Al StewartLocomotive Breath - Jethro Tull
Dan
Ok I'll play,
Midnight Train to Georgia
Kansas City Southern, Pure Prairie League Version
The Railroad, by Grand Funk Railroad
Bob
Modeling in N scale: Rock Island freight and passenger, with a touch of the following; Wabash Cannon Ball, CB&Q passenger, and ATSF freight and passenger. I played in Peoria (Heights).
Howmus, Steve Goodman wrote "City of New Orleans." Arlo Guthrie was just one among many who recorded it. I have a version sung by the author, along with John Prine, and that is my favorite.
Also, I believe Blind Bruce is looking for songs not relating to railroads, but other railed transit. How about "The Trolley Song?" (Clang, Clang, Clang went the Trolley,)
Ishmael Howmus, Steve Goodman wrote "City of New Orleans." Arlo Guthrie was just one among many who recorded it. I have a version sung by the author, along with John Prine, and that is my favorite. Also, I believe Blind Bruce is looking for songs not relating to railroads, but other railed transit. How about "The Trolley Song?" (Clang, Clang, Clang went the Trolley,)
Right you are sir..... I was just thinking of the version Arlo sang (which was running through my head) and wasn't connecting it to the composer.
Hello again,
If we're talking transit there was a song years back about poor poor Charlie who never returned and will ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston. Buy that's all I remember about it.
I also forgot about the Orange Blossom Special just played by Steve Martin and his band in DC
Bobster Hello again, If we're talking transit there was a song years back about poor poor Charlie who never returned and will ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston. Buy that's all I remember about it. Bob
That would be "Charlie and the MTA"
I'll bite
John Turner's Long Black Train
Ozzy Osborn's Crazy Train (SHARON!)
If you can read this... thank a teacher. If you are reading this in english... thank a veteran
When in doubt. grab a hammer.
If it moves and isn't supposed to, get a hammer
If it doesn't move and is supposed to, get a hammer
If it's broken, get a hammer
If it can't be fixed with a hammer... DUCK TAPE!
Blue Grass fans will remember "The Orange Blossom Special"
Happy railroading
Don't Ever Give Up
The Kingston Trio had a humorous song about the train "To Morrow"
and of course Johnny Cash had the Folsum Prison Blues
Bobster If we're talking transit there was a song years back about poor poor Charlie who never returned and will ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston. Buy that's all I remember about it. Bob
"The Man Who Never Returned", performed by the Kingston Trio.
There was "My Love Affair with Trains", an album of original railroad songs recorded by Merle Haggard in the 1976. The jacket had photos of Haggard's layout. I don't remember if any of the songs got any airplay.
Blind Bruce The thread about the Casey Jones TV series got me to thinking about Railroad (or had trains) songs. I can think of many that are about or contain steam trains but the only one that comes to mind to the contrary is "take the A train" which is about an electric subway.
So to clarify your question - are there any songs about post-steam railroads - i.e diesel trains or electric trains, freight, passenger, transit and so on?
And the answer is, quite obviously, yes. Here is a wikipedia list of train songs - several of which clearly are post-steam era: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_train_songs
Smile, Stein
Stein,
this must be the most comprehensive list of train songs in the world! Crazy thing is, that there are many songs on the list I would not have thought of being train songs!
All we need is now a list of model railroad songs
John Hartford gave us a couple:
Shiny Rails of Steel and Gentle on My Mind, both intensely romantic with a touch of railroad mystique.
An Duke Ellington provided a popular rendition of Billy Strayhorn's Take the A Train.
I'll add a couple of traditional songs that have apparently lost their connection with the original songwriter:
Clear the Track, Let the Bulgine Run (recently recorded by Woods Tea Company), and Railroad Worksong (recorded by the Notting Hillbillies).
Phil, I'm not a rocket scientist; they are my students.
Georgie and the IRT by Dave Van Ronk
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
Tuesday's Gone by Lynyrd Skynyrd and was covered by Metallica about 10 years ago or so.
When I'm not playing with my choo chos, I play clawhammner banjo, guitar and harmonica in an old timey folk string band. (www.newsoutherncowtippers.com) We have over 30 railroad songs in our repitoire, and that is only a drop in the bucket. Check our Norm Cohen's Long Steel Rails, and Katy Letcher Lyle's Scalded to Death by the Steam for openers. I'd guess there are literally several hundred railroad and railroad related songs. Just about every wreck over a century ago was documented by some kind of a song or verse.
HZ
Neil Young's "Southern Pacific" references both steam and diesel as a reference to the long but now ended railroad career of "Mr Jones"
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I hope I didn't sound too critical, Howmus. I thought it was Arlo Guthrie's also, but some years ago Trains had an article about the City of New Orleans. In a sidebar, they told the story about Steve Goodman and how he declined the limelight. Guthrie's song was very popular and I also enjoyed it.
It's most often attributed to Arlo because his is th version that got the most radio airplay. I have several versions of the song, including Steve GOodman's original, Arlo's, and John Prine's. Each is slightly different, with the Goodman original being a faster tempo than most of the covers. Regardless of the performer, it's a song that really captures the declining state of the rialroads and the country in general in the early 1970's.
I'll add one more:
The late Chip Chase of the Woods Tea Company wrote The Fireman. It is a traditional-sounding balad that chronicles the career of an eary 20th century railroad fireman who shoveled coal for 30 years and was "set free" by the introduction of diesel locomotives, described in the lyrics as "An Iron mule, big and fast and powerful... ...and runs on diesel fuel."
The Woods Tea Company recorded it. It's worth looking up.
Dear Friends
Here's my almost-three-year-old son's iTunes playlist:
This is the I Love Toy Trains soundtrack and is available on iTunes.
--Jaddie
Dear Stein
I've been on this forum only a short while, but I always find your posts very informative, friendly, and encouraging.
Thank you very much, kind sir, for your wonderful contributions!
Johnny Cash also had a song, on a late 70's album, called "Texas 1947", about the new streamlined Texas Special. (Even though he's a year early).
Must be that part of me that is French Canadian, but why no one mentioned "Canadian Railroad trilogy" by Gordon Lightfoot is a mystery, but that's OK, eh, you there?